Trioxepane and its polymers



stantially anhydrous conditions.

"be made by, the reaction of ethylene glycol with a a molarexcess of formaldehyde under such conditions thatthe water formed as a result ofv the reaction is removed as formed. .As this reaction produces 1,3-dioxolane, it isin a sense the same Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,475,610 TRIOXEPANE AND rrs POLYMER8 William F. Gresham and Clarence D. Bell, Wilmington, Del., assixnors to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, ration of Delaware Wilmington, Del., a corpo- No Drawing. Application December 19, 1945, Serial No. 636,078

'7 Claims- (Cl. 260-338) This inventionrel ates to trioxepane and to its polymers together with methods for their preparatibn.

1,3,5-trioxepane,

oomoonroomom is a colorless liquid boiling at about 132 C. at 760 mm. pressure and at about57 C. at 50 mm.

, pressure. It may be considered as a formaldehyde addition product of 1,3-dioxolane and produced in accord with the equation cmo cmoonromo ocmocmocnrom It has been found that, in accord with the process of this case, trioxepane can be converted into linear polymeric compounds which are believed to have the structural formula (OCH2OCH2OCH2CHz-) it in which a: is an integer greater than 1.

An object of the present invention is to provide new compositions of matter. Another object is to provide a process for the preparation of 1,3,5-trioxepane and a processfor the-,preparation of polymeric forms of 1,3,5-trioxepane., .A

further object of the invention is to provide conditions for preparing the monomeric 1,3,5-trioxepane and its polymers.

Other. objects and" advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

1,3,5-trio xepane can be prepared in various ily, if at all, to

ways such, for example, as by the condensation of. formaldehyde with 1;3-dioxolaneunder sub- Itmay likewise general type'ofreaction as that first described. These reactions are conducted in the presence of acid condensation catalysts. Any suitable acid catalyst may "be used and may be present in amounts ranging from 0.02 to 5%. Acid catalysts generally are suitable and more particularly the inorganic acids and their acid salts such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric. acid, phosphoric acid, boron fluoride (and its addition products) paratoluene sulfonic acid, sodium acid sulfate, sodium acid phosphate, and the like.

An alternate method of preparing 1,3,5-trioxepane is provided by a process wherein two moles of. formaldehyde are reacted per mole of ethylene glycol, the reaction being conducted under conditions such that the water formed as a result of the reaction is removed as rapidly as formed. In this reaction 1 mole of formaldehyde reacts per mole of ethylene glycol to give 1,3-dioxolane and water. Upon removal of the water there remains a mole of formaldehyde per mole of 1,3-dioxolane which under the anhydrous conditions described herein will result in the production, under the conditions specified, 01' 1,3,5-trioxepane and/or polymers thereof.

Along with the formation of 1,3,5-trioxepane, polymeric compounds are formed when formaldehyde is reacted with 1,3-dioxolane, the manner of processing determining the proportionatlon of monomer and polymer produced. The monomer can be removed from the reaction mixture by distillation at low pressures in the presence or in the absence of the catalyst used during the reaction. If the catalyst is neutralized prior to the distillation the yield of 1,3,5-trioxepane will not be as great as it will be of the catalyst is not neutralized prior to the distillation. This, it is 'be-' lieved, is due to the decomposition of the polymers present to 1,3,5-trioxepane because of the presence oi the acid catalysts. If the solution is neutral the polymer does not decompose-as readv the monomerand consequently only the monomer present is removed during the distillation.

Inasmuch as, therefore, the reaction of formaldehyde with 1,3-dioxolaneresults in the jiormation of 1,3,5-trioxepane as well as polymers thereof, the operator has the choice of selecting a prothe preparation of the monomer or' cedure for the polymer; if the former, distillation is conducted in the presence of the acid used during the reaction; if the latter, the acid is first neutralized and the 1,3,5-trioxepane separated leavina a substantially 1,3,5-trioxepane-free polymer.

ear 1,3-dioxolane group, -OCH2OCH2CH2--, the

to the number of for! 1 mal groups, OCH2O- groups present per lin- .65

. products.

polymeric structure being determined inter alia by reaction conditions, proportions of reactants, etc., e. g. the greater the concentration of formaldehyde or equivalent, the greater the number of formal groups in the polymer and vice versa.

The reaction of formaldehyde with the 1,3-dioxolane is-conducted by heating the mixture of 1.3-dioxolane and formaldehyde at temperatures between 50 to 200 C. At temperatures below 95 0. pressure operation may be avoided for at such temperatures the reaction will proceed readily and temperatures above 95 C. are used. If high molecular weight polymers are desired, the reaction is effectedat low temperatures, i. e. temperatures below 95 C. which give mild reaction rates with high molecular weight products while on the contrary if the reaction is conducted at higher temperatures a faster reaction rate occurs tending to produce lower molecular weight The polymers are decomposed by heating preferably under reduced pressures in the presence of an acid condensation catalyst. Pressures below 50 mm. and preferably below mm. are employed with temperatures ranging between 50 C. and about 300 C. Preferably the decomposition temperatures used are not higher than are necessary'to distill over the trioxepane from the polymer. Higher temperatures may be used, however, and while they will increase the rate of decomposition they tend to unduly decompose the polymer to products other than trioxepane.

The examples given illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention in which parts are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Ewample 1.An open vessel was charged with 148 parts (2 moles) of 1,3-dioxolane, 31.6 parts (1 mole) of paraformaldehyde, and 0.96 parts of sulfuric acid. The vessel was placed on. a steam bath and heated for 3 hours. At the end of this period a viscous, clear, almost colorless liquid polymer was formed. This liquid was placed in a pressure resisting vessel, a vacuum of about 8 mm. applied, and the liquid heated to a temperature of about 100 C. The vapors were collected in traps cooled with solid carbon dioxide. The condensate was then subjected to distillation at atmospheric pressure; Under these conditions 33.9 parts of 1,3,5-trioxepane was obtained which had a boiling point of 129.5 to 131.5 C.

Example 2.-The process of Example 1 was repeated using 666 parts (9 moles) of 1,3-dioxolane, 90 parts (3 moles) of paraformaldehyde and 3 parts of sulfuric acid. The reaction in this case. however, was discontinued after two hours heating on a steam bath and the product which was a cloudy viscous liquid was heated to a temperature of about 100 C. under a high vacuum, approximately 3 mm.; 146.4 parts of 1,3,5-trioxepane having a boiling point of- 129 C. was obtained.

' I with but inconsequential loss of formaldehyde by Example 3.--The reaction of Example 1 was repeated with 333 parts (4.5 moles) of 1,3-dioxolane, .45 parts (1.5 moles) of trioxane and 1.5 parts of sulfuric acid. In this case the heating on a steam bath was continued for 1% hours and a very viscous product formed. This product was treated under the conditions specified in Example 2. 49.1 parts of 1,3,5-trioxepane having a boiling point between 128 and 130 C. was obtained.

Example 4.--An open reaction vessel was charged with 2 moles of 1,3-dioxolane, 1 mole of paraformaldehyde and about 1% sulfuric acid as the catalyst. The reaction mixture was heated on a steam bath for 8 hours. A 15% sodium methoxide solution in methanol was added to the reaction mixture until it was basic to litmus. The thus neutralized liquid. which was fairly viscous was slowly distilled on an oil bath and 1,3,5- trloxepane collected in the condensate having a carboxyl number of 992 equivalent to 92.2% pure trioxepane.

Example 5.An open reaction vessel was charged with 20 parts of 1,3,5-trloxepane and boron fluoride gas was introduced to give approximately 0.017% by weight of the trioxepane. The vessel was closed and. polymerization permitted to proceed at substantially room temperature for 56 days. A viscous solution was obtained which was made slightly basic to litmus paper by sodium methoxide in methanol and after filterin was heated on an oil bath at a pressure of from 1 to 3 mm. whereby a polymeric product was distilled over having a molecular weight of about 480.

Example 6.A reaction vessel was charged with 37.3 parts of 1,3,5-trioxepane and about 0.6% sulfuric acid as the catalyst. The resulting mixture was heated for 9 hours on a water bath to a temperature between 70 and 80 C. A viscous liquid was obtained to which sodium methoxide in methanol was added until a pH-of about 5 was obtained. The resulting mixture was heated for 1 hour on a steam bath and then sub- Jected to distillation at a pressure of about 3 mm. A viscous condensate was obtained which upon analysis was found to be a polymer of 1,3,5- igiigxepane having a molecular weight of about The examples illustrate two methods whereby 1,3,5-trioxepane can be converted to polymeric forms. One method involves reacting 1,3-dioxolane with formaldehydeunder substantially above room temperature are complete in a matter of hours.

Contrariwise 1,3,5-trioxepane can be prepared by decomposition or cracking of polymeric forms of 1,3,5-trioxepane. This reconversion of the polymer to the monomeric form can be effected by heating in the presence of an acid catalyst, such as those described above, while distilling off the monomer under reduced pressures.

Valuable products can be obtainedby reacting the polymeric 1,3,5-trioxepane with organic compounds. For example, by reacting these polymers with the monocarboxylic or polycarboxylic aromatic or aliphatic organic acids modified forms of the acid are obtained wherein the polymer group (-OCH2OCH2OCH2CH2 is combined with the acid considerably modifying its properties in accord with the number of the polymer groups added. By this procedure Water-insoluble organic acids of high molecular Weight such, for example, as oleic, stearic, palmitic and like acids can be converted to water-soluble modifications of the acid by heating the acid with polymeric 1,3,5-trioxepane in the presence of an acid catalyst.

The polymers of 1,3,5-trioxepane may likewise be combined with other organic compounds to modify their physical and chemical properties and especially valuable products are obtainable when the polymers are reacted in the presence of an acid catalyst with esters, alcohols, ethers,

amines, amides, nitriles, ketones, acetals (linear' and cyclic), phenols, olefinic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons. The principal characteristic of the products resulting from this modification reaction is an increased. water solubility- This is especially, significant in converting the high molecular weight water-insoluble alcohols such as nonyl, decyl, dodecyl, and similar alcohols to water-soluble modification products thereof.

1,3;5trioxepane is an excellent solvent and due to its comparatively high boiling point may be used as an intermediate boiling solvent in the preparation of lacquers, cellulose ester dopes, etc. The polymeric product may be used as a plasticizer in cellulose organic and inorganic ethers and esters and in the polyamide, urea-formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde and similar resinous compositions.

We claim;

1. A process for the preparation of 1,3,5-trioxepane and polymers of 1,3,5-trioxepane which comprises mixing and reacting 1,3-dioxolane and acompound selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and trioxane under substantially anhydrous conditions and in the presence of an acidic condensation catalyst there being present during the reaction at least one quarter of a mol of 1,3-dioxolane per mol of the aldehydic compounds selected from the group.

2. A process for the preparation of monomeric -1,3,5-trioxepane which comprises mixing and reacting 1,3-dioxolane and a compound selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and trioxane under substantially anhydrous conditions and in the presence of an acidic condensation catalyst and subsequently separating 1,3,5-trioxepane from the reaction product there being present during the reaction at least one quarter of a mol of 1,3-dioxolane per mol of the aldehydic compoundsselected from the group.

3. A process for the preparation of monomeric 1,3,5-trioxepane which comprises mixing and reacting 1,3-dioxolane and a compound selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and trioxane under substantially anhydrous conditions and in the presence of an acidic condensation catalyst and subsequently separating 1,3,5-trioxepane from the reaction product by heating the reaction product in the presence of an acid catalyst while distilling oif the 1,3,5-trioxepane under reduced pressure there being present during the reaction at least one quarter of a mol of 1,3-dioxolane per mol of the aldehydic compounds selected from the group.

4. A process for the preparation of monomeric 1,3,5-trioxepane which comprises heating polymeric 1,3,5-trioxepane under reduced pressure while distilling on" the monomeric 1,3,5-tri- 7. A process for the preparation of monomeric 1,3,5-trioxepane which comprises heating at a temperature between about and C. at least one quarter of a mol of 1,3-dioxolane per mol of paraformaldehyde, the reaction being conducted under substantially anhydrous conditions and in the presence of sulfuric acid,- and thereafter separating 1,3,5-trioxepane from the reaction mixture.

' WILLIAM F. GRESHAM.

CLARENCE D. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,031,619 Seymour Feb. 25, 1936 ,7 2,045,843 Dreyfus June 30, 1936 2,194,994 Belloc Mar. 26, 1940 2,364,438 Gresham Dec. 5, 1944 2,382,874 Gresham Aug. 14; 1945 2,395,265

Gresham Feb. 19, 1948 

